Chandelier Update!

Happy Monday, Friends! Guess what I did over the weekend? Hint: It’s something I’ve been wanting to do since we moved in. It’s a chandelier update! Come see how it looks now!

The chandelier in our stairwell is very nice-as is. You can see it as you are walking downstairs into the basement and you can see it from the driveway through the window. Therefore, we want it to really shine and sparkle! Here’s how it looked when we moved in. One of the light bulbs burned out recently, giving me the perfect opportunity to haul out the ladder and make a few changes.

The chandelier is large scale and gold. Both perfection my book. And it does have crystals which is also a huge bonus. But, more is more. Maximalism, and all that. I envisioned more bling and more crystals. So, I enlisted the help of my sweet husband, Brad. He helped me set up a special ladder. It’s adjustable and allows you to set up the ladder on a staircase. This is great news if the project in question is out of one’s reach otherwise. So, we set up the ladder and I set about getting ready for the chandelier’s mini-makeover. Here’s the ladder. I added some bungee cords for additional stability, but caution is key!

Then I pulled out the crystals from my stash and set to work. I wanted to add glass crystal beads in between each arm on the chandelier. For me, I like to use only real glass beads. When you order make sure it says “glass” and not acrylic. (Plastic=Yuck.) You can find these crystal bead chains HERE:( Glass Bead Chain ) This chain set is 10 feet long and comes in one foot sections. I’ve used this chain in all of my chandelier projects and it’s affordable and nice quality.

I measured the distance between each arm and decided to make each chain 15 beads long. I needed 8 strands total and assembled them ahead of time.

I pulled these over sized French Pendalogue crystals from my stash. I used some of them on my dining room chandelier and had just enough left over for this project! The large base crystal measures a whopping 4″ so these are definitely statement crystals! Make sure you pay attention to the measurements when ordering so you get the right size for your project! You can find 4″ French Pendalogue crystals HERE: ( 4″ French Pendalogue Crystals )

And here is the “new” chandelier! I think the extra large crystals and the chain add so much dimension and beauty!

The crowning jewel in the middle is a huge, antique French Pendalogue I found on eBay. This single crystal was $10 and worth every penny! It’s larger and slightly different from the others. (I think we will never sell this house.)

While we had the ladder out, I changed ALL of the light bulbs and cleaned the light fixture. Trust me, setting up this ladder is a huge pain in the neck, and we don’t want to do it again anytime soon.

The chandelier even looks pretty in the dark. I’m so happy to have this little project out of the way before the holidays!

Here’s a quick before and after. This small change makes my heart happy. Now this chandelier has more sparkle and personality. It fits my style to a T! I had all of these goodies in my stash, so the only out of pocket cost was the new light bulbs.

Soon I’ll share the sources for all of my crystals and chandelier accessories. I get most of my goodies on eBay and Amazon, but often I get them from antique stores or on Facebook Marketplace. The moral of this story is use what you have and make it your own! If glass crystals aren’t your thing, you could always use wooden beads and accents for a completely different look. I love putting my spin on things, don’t you?

Thank you for stopping by today! I hope you have a fantastic day! xo Dell